If you are like me you probably have been spending some of your free time
this summer wandering
through cemeteries looking for your ancestors. There is a wealth of
information to be gleaned from cemetery research.

Cemeteries have always
held a certain fascination for me. They are such peaceful places. They
are also the sites of much genealogical research. When I wander through
cemeteries, I love to look at the carvings on gravestones. We can learn
so much about our ancestors from them. To me is it such a moving and
relaxing experience to be standing among your ancestors. It is also
interesting to discover who else is buried near your ancestors. Even the
choice of a certain cemetery all reflect our ancestors religious beliefs,
their philosophies and their ideas about what confers status and prestige.
It might even be the only place you would find a picture of your ancestor.

Pictures on headstones are becoming more common

There are several types of cemeteries: Some cemeteries are owned by
private corporations which are sometimes called Memorial Parks. Here, the
burial records are not considered public records. It is often necessary
to pay a fee for information sought.

We can also learn about special needs or talents that family members might
have had. I found the Dierkens family stone very interesting. It would
be interesting to find out the reasons behind the sign language symbols on
that particular stone.

You will find there any many types of monuments that may have been used in
only one part of the country. In our area you find many of the monuments
that paid tribute to our ancestors who worked in the lumbering industry.

Churches and synagogues have established cemeteries, usually on grounds
next to the group's building. One of the best places for us to find
where our immigrant ancestors are buried are in these cemeteries. During
much of the 19th century, there were probably as many immigrants buried
in church cemeteries as in all other cemeteries combined. The church or
synagogue played a very important role in the lives of our immigrant
ancestors. For some religions, notably the Roman Catholic, burial in
sacred, consecrated, ground was essential to a person's salvation. For
many others, burial was a sacrament, to be conducted by a spiritual
leader.

At a later time I will do an article about monuments and the things we can
find out about our ancestors. [Part two of this article]

Printing & Binding SolutionsYou've done the research, written the stories, gathered the photos and illustrations, and put them all together... Now let GlobalGenealogy.com produce a finished book you will be proud to call your own.